Candidates for Thibodaux mayor release dueling polls

Published: Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 11:04 a.m.

THIBODAUX — Mayor Charles Caillouet and challenger Tommy Eschete are confident about their chances with voters in the Oct. 2 mayoral election, and both claim they have proof.

Each candidate commissioned polls by private companies that paint different pictures of the race.

Both surveys say a large portion of voters remain undecided between the two contenders.

Voice Broadcasting, a Texas-based company, conducted a poll for Eschete that shows a tight race within the mathematical margin of error.

The poll surveyed 400 Thibodaux registered voters and asked their preferences between the two in a head-to-head race. Caillouet, seeking his fourth term as mayor, had a statistically insignificant lead with 33 percent support, followed closely by Eschete, a former City Council administrator, at 32 percent. The largest block of respondents, though, remain undecided, at 35 percent.

The poll was conducted Aug. 26, and it has a 3 percent margin of error. The phone poll was automated, and respondents expressed their preferences by dialing numbers on their keypads.

Southern Media and Opinion Research conducted a poll for Caillouet that has the incumbent sitting on a comfortable lead. Southern Media surveyed 300 registered voters in Thibodaux from July 30 through Aug. 2 on their preferences in a three-way race between Caillouet, Eschete and Charles Mosley, who withdrew from the race

The Southern Media poll has a 5.8 percent margin of error. Southern Media used phone interviews to ask the questions and to record responses.

“We work through the election no matter what,” Caillouet said. “Ultimately, the final poll is on Oct. 2.”

Eschete said he was encouraged by the results of his poll, particularly that his name-recognition is “where it needs to be” to win the election. “I was pleased with that,” he said.

State law requires professional polling companies to register with the Secretary of State’s Office. The office has no record for Voice Broadcasting. The company said they are checking into the issue but did not have an explanation as of Wednesday evening. Southern Media is registered with the Secretary of State’s Office.

Eschete and Caillouet will meet in a forum sponsored by the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce tonight beginning at 6 p.m. in Peltier Auditorium on Nicholls State University’s campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The forum will also be live-streamed on ThibodauxOnline.com.

Ben Harang, a local Realtor, will moderate the event, asking a series of prepared questions. There will be an opportunity for the audience to submit questions as well, Harang said.

Staff Writer Nate Monroe can be reached at 448-7639 or at nate.monroe@dailycomet.com.

<p>THIBODAUX — Mayor Charles Caillouet and challenger Tommy Eschete are confident about their chances with voters in the Oct. 2 mayoral election, and both claim they have proof.</p><p>Each candidate commissioned polls by private companies that paint different pictures of the race. </p><p>Both surveys say a large portion of voters remain undecided between the two contenders. </p><p>Voice Broadcasting, a Texas-based company, conducted a poll for Eschete that shows a tight race within the mathematical margin of error. </p><p>The poll surveyed 400 Thibodaux registered voters and asked their preferences between the two in a head-to-head race. Caillouet, seeking his fourth term as mayor, had a statistically insignificant lead with 33 percent support, followed closely by Eschete, a former City Council administrator, at 32 percent. The largest block of respondents, though, remain undecided, at 35 percent. </p><p>The poll was conducted Aug. 26, and it has a 3 percent margin of error. The phone poll was automated, and respondents expressed their preferences by dialing numbers on their keypads. </p><p>Southern Media and Opinion Research conducted a poll for Caillouet that has the incumbent sitting on a comfortable lead. Southern Media surveyed 300 registered voters in Thibodaux from July 30 through Aug. 2 on their preferences in a three-way race between Caillouet, Eschete and Charles Mosley, who withdrew from the race </p><p>July 27. </p><p>Caillouet led the poll with 45.8 percent support. The second-largest block was undecided, at 28.9 percent, and Eschete captured 23 percent support. Mosley captured a statistically insignificant 2.3 percent of support. </p><p>The Southern Media poll has a 5.8 percent margin of error. Southern Media used phone interviews to ask the questions and to record responses. </p><p>“We work through the election no matter what,” Caillouet said. “Ultimately, the final poll is on Oct. 2.” </p><p>Eschete said he was encouraged by the results of his poll, particularly that his name-recognition is “where it needs to be” to win the election. “I was pleased with that,” he said. </p><p>State law requires professional polling companies to register with the Secretary of State's Office. The office has no record for Voice Broadcasting. The company said they are checking into the issue but did not have an explanation as of Wednesday evening. Southern Media is registered with the Secretary of State's Office. </p><p>Eschete and Caillouet will meet in a forum sponsored by the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce tonight beginning at 6 p.m. in Peltier Auditorium on Nicholls State University's campus. The event is free and open to the public. </p><p>The forum will also be live-streamed on ThibodauxOnline.com. </p><p>Ben Harang, a local Realtor, will moderate the event, asking a series of prepared questions. There will be an opportunity for the audience to submit questions as well, Harang said. </p><p>Staff Writer Nate Monroe can be reached at 448-7639 or at nate.monroe@dailycomet.com.</p>